MANILA -- ABS-CBN said Wednesday it maintained its lead in the ratings over rival GMA Network in September, based on Kantar Media measurement.

The country's largest media and entertainment company got an average audience share of 44 percent for the month, versus GMA's 33 percent. Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,610 urban and rural homes that represent 100 percent of the country's total TV viewing population.

ABS-CBN led in the primetime block with 47 percent, compared to GMA's 34 percent. The 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. window is where most Filipinos watch TV and is closely watched by advertisers.

ABS-CBN beat GMA in Metro Manila (41 percent versus 28 percent), in Total Luzon (39 percent versus 36 percent), Total Visayas (53 percent versus 25 percent) and in Total Mindanao (51 percent versus 26 percent).

Eight of the 10 highest rated programs in September were from ABS-CBN, led by perennial ratings champion, "FPJ's Ang Probinsyano" with an average national rating of 43.3 percent.

Also in the top 10 were "TV Patrol" (33.3 percent), "Ngayon at Kailanman" (28.4 percent), "The Kids’ Choice" (26.7 percent), "Meteor Garden" (24.2 percent), "MMK" (24.1 percent), "Wansapanataym" (23.8 percent), and "Home Sweetie Home" (22 percent).

ABS-CBN also led in the morning block (6 a.m. to 12 p.m.) with 41 percent versus GMA's 32 percent, noontime (12 p.m. to 3 p.m.) with 44 percent versus GMA's 32 percent and in the afternoon block (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) with 43 percent versus GMA's 34 percent.

As of July this year, ABS-CBN sold 5.5 million boxes of its TVplus service where it recently added 5 new channels: Asianovela Channel, Movie Central, MYX, Jeepney TV, and O Shopping in Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, and Metro Cebu.

ABS-CBN also recently received the Diamond Creator Award from YouTube as its entertainment channel surpassed 10 million subscribers, the first in the country and the third in Southeast Asia to achieve such feat.